Skype - a different childhood

I'm so jazzed that my twins have the technology to see and talk to people via Skype. Would that I had the Internet and Skype when I was a kid - geesh - then who knows what I'd learn, know, or feel today . . . the twins have it good, most definitely!

Well, I finally loaded Skype onto my new laptop last weekend, and our friend Gerry Hampson called from Ireland - whole family had a groovy time talkin' to him for about 30 minutes, including Nestle who greeted his dog Cleo! Then, we Skyped with my patient and awesome sister for about 45 minutes this week - twins LOVED makin' faces so they could see themselves and my sister's reaction. Here's a short clip indoors of the twins' showing Manda their artwork from camp last week. (I have a longer video taken on the porch, but it won't upload - we moved indoors after that.)

Our First Veggie from the Garden(s)!

I've never had a veggie garden, and we planted ours late - Late May or early June, I think. Varieties of tomatoes, cukes, melon. Not much has grown or ripened, but our first cherry tomato was ready this week. Quite tasty (Grace and I shared it), though it has a tough skin. Here's my Grace showing it off for me!

Then Chance wanted to shoot a few pics w/ my camera:

Self-portrait.

Around the yard:

Today, Chance predicted his future career

A first today. Chance told me what he wants to be when he grows up: a race car driver.

And, he continued, if anyone crashes into him on the track, then he'll crash into them too. Well, Cars is one of his favorite movies--even though the "bull tractor" scene still scares him and he won't watch that part. But we also watched the original The Love Bug: Herbie for the first time last week--Baum twins loved it!--wherein a crash derby opens the movie. Sounds like he might've conflated the two, no?

Or it could have something to do with the countdown (mainly, his and Daddy's) to the movie Cars 2 that opens this month - June 24, to be exact - or that we've watched that trailer at least 5 times this week . . . I've finally convinced Daddy that I need to see it before Chance does - for screening purposes. Yes, I really will cover his eyes during parts that I know ('cause I do know) will scare him . . . I learned something from that blasted bull tractor scene.

Gracie turns four

The morning after (4/12/11) her birthday, my "baby Grace" pads into the kitchen where I'm making breakfast. She's holding her blankie, and in a gravelly voice, she stumbles over her words a couple of times before finally saying something like, "Do your arms still fit?"

It took me a minute, I stared at her as I processed the question, and then I realized she wanted to know if my arms still fit around her now that she's a "big girl," a four-year-old. . . . i.e., she wanted me to hold her, as she's apt to want in the mornings.

Absolutely precious. Wouldn't trade it for ANYTHING. I love this girl with all my heart.

Santa pays a visit

Mommy's beloved Mothers and More group organized a visit from Santa for us last weekend. Though Daddy feared the twins would cry and protest sitting on Santa's lap (as in the past), they did well! We'd given presents to Santa a few days earlier (Chance--3 cars from the movie Cars; Grace--a ballerina Barbie), and when their name was called, each twin went up to sit on his lap . . .



Chance shyly approached--with me by his side--and whispered to me, "I want to tell him something." After a little urging, he finally sat on Santa's lap and said he wanted "Wingo and Snot Rod" for Xmas (from the Cars movie--Santa was obviously a bit confused, so I explained). Chance further elaborated that he didn't like the "bull tractor" from the movie, and confused Santa merely said, "Yes."


Grace, who was sitting with my friend Christine--and 4-yr-old daughter Lorelei (Grace's buddy)--on the floor, went up to Santa all by herself when her name was called. She grinned, got on his lap, and began talking to him right away. I got pictures, but I didn't hear what she said. She claims she told him she loved him, which she's apt to do. :-)


Picture taken at the end of the afternoon, before Santa leaves. Chance was protesting a bit by now . . . Grace grins happily while holding new Barbie.

11 Months Ago - Halloween NY (rest of it)

A long, long time ago . . . eleven months ago to be exact, we visited Grandpa and Grandma Boespflug's house for Halloween ('09). And here is the rest of that story.

The twins and Mommy spent the night in Aunt Manda's groovy downtown apartment.

CHANCE ANECDOTE: while riding in the backseat of Grandpa's car on the way to Manda's, he looked out of the window and started naming the colors of the houses--"brown . . . blue . . . pink . . . STUFF!" Not sure where that last one came from, but I cracked up. He's just an entertainer to the core.

Manda gathered toys and games for the twins' visit, but small plastic cups were the favored toy at bathtime.


The next morning, Grandpa joined us for a concert by Farmer Jason in downtown Albany. We, of course, bought the DVD and asked him to sign it. The twins wore their "Farmer" outfits, and Grandpa dressed as a pirate. (Naw, his eye was scratched, so he wore the patch while it healed.)



Grandpa took us to NYSUT to see Aunt Manda and meet folks. When Chance spied the granite fountain, Grandpa decided Chance could stand beside it and touch the water . . . Of course, Chance T-storm didn't want to get out.


The twins check out Grandpa's Harley Davidson Screaming Eagle Fat Boy motorcycle. We need "thought balloons" over their heads -- any suggestions?

Grandpa in his ridin' duds!

And Grandma made "green eggs and ham" - per Chance's favorite book.

Grace gladly partook of the delicacy. Chance mostly observed. (Apparently, the rhymes and pictures made a stronger impact on Chance than the message in the story.)

Chance the Artiste

I couldn't believe it when I picked up this paper and saw that Chance had actually drawn a recognizeable figure for Grace -- he told her he drew her "a princess"! At 3 yrs, 3 mos, I happen to think it's pretty great . . . but I'm biased. :-)

Both kiddos were writing the first letter of their names in June. In fact, on Grammy Sharon's birthday card, Gracie wrote her very first "G."

Oh, how they love to "write notes" and "draw pictures" for us these days. Chance regularly draws faces -- two eyes, nose, mouth. His fine motor skills rock . . . but I'm biased.

Floats for Swimming!

Pic/video: 6/26/2010. About a week prior to this pic, Daddy bought the swimmies/floats, and after a bit of coaxing, the twins put them on and adored their new-found freedom in our neighborhood pool. Chance--definitely part fish and a novice stunt man. Grace--hesitant at first but a little mermaid soon enough.

When the twins started summer camp at the YMCA in June (T/W/Th 9-12), Thursdays included swimming. On the first Thurs., the twins only watched the other kids--and cried profusely as Mommy left them. (Quite dreadful, though they were happy campers when I picked them up.)

Kind of an understandable reaction, given that previously, they only liked being in the pool if held in Mommy or Daddy's arms--or were jumping into our arms from the side of the pool. Intertubes (etc.) were too unstable for them, and the "Life Guard approved" life jackets we bought, per YMCA rules, were NOT a hit. Too bulky. But on that MMO morning, Mommy noticed Christopher's (same-age friend from St. Luke's MMO) "life jacket" looked more like a fun float, and it allowed him to kick around by himself. The twins noticed him in it too, Daddy found the floats at Dick's sporting goods, and lo and behold, the twins now love that they can swim "by themselves"!!!

By July, the twins moved to the intertube--Chance especially, looking for the next thrill. :-) Daddy is pulling his feet in this picture, and Chance is squealing and laughing.

They beg to go to the pool EVERY DAY -- EVERY SINGLE DAY -- now.

Halloween Party in NY - Oct. 2009

A blast from the past (since it's June 2010 now) . . .

Last Oct., Mommy and the twins flew to NY to see the Boespflugs. Grandma and Grandpa had a Halloween party at their condo for the kiddos--Cousin Shayne and a couple of her friends too--where we christened the new basement/rec room.
Silly cousins: Chance, Shayne, Grace goofing while eating at their new table.

Aunt Susan, pregnant with Kayla Rose, came too!

Aunt Manda holds the twin train engineers before the party begins.

Mommy piled the cousins into the bathtub together one nite. Ahh, bribery when they're teens.

And we went to Uncle Matt and Aunt Jessie's one day and played with Cousin Shayne's toys -- or are they Uncle Matt's? (SEE VIDEO!)
The girls eatin' cheese and chillin' in Shayne's comfy chair.
Grandpa read the grandkids lots of bedtime stories.

Grace and Chance's first time in the basement.

Uncle Matt shows off his toys . . . er, Shayne's toys.

Preschool Grads!

Our laptop's hard drive completely crashed, and we've been waiting for Mommy's check to arrive so we can buy a new one . . . In the meantime, a tiny netbook will have to do for an occasional and slow-making post.

Recording in this baby book: At about 8 am this Sat morn, the twins played in Chance's room when they first woke up. Listening to them via the monitor was so cute -- apparently, Grace went into Chance's room to see if he was awake. Then they both came to wake up Mommy and Daddy in our bed! Aww! It's a first for them.

The Baum Twins graduated from 2-year-old preschool on Thursday! Mommy joined them for a school carnival at 10:30 am (jump castles, Rita's ice cream, hot dogs, chips, playing on playground). That evening, they showed off their t-shirts to Daddy -- all 10 kids in their class put a handprint on it, and the teachers (Miss Chris and Miss Kelly) put theirs on the back/hiney. ha! (We're outside having watermelon after dinner in this pic.)

May 8, 2010: Sprinkler park at Wannamaker, followed by sprinkler at home . . . then yogurt on the couch (hence, white stuff on lip) while watching cartoons. Mommy called his name, then snapped this pic. Notice the "third lip"/tongue. Grandpa calls him a "natural comic." He loves to make us laugh! :)

Halloween 09 (posted late)

Well, faithful blog followers, beginning again feels a bit painful, but this mommy is determined to dust off this scrapblog and forge ahead. Numerous glitches kept us off-line for a while. But here's more. Some of Halloween '09:Cuter twin train engineers you'll never see. Outside the aquarium here.

Tongues. (Grace holding Chance's basket. Mommy holds Grace's orange one. The bag? Who knows.)A train chugs down the tracks about 100 yds from the aquarium. An exhuberant Chance points it out to Mommy, who tries to pass on the excitement to picture-taking Daddy.

Turtle puppet inside the aquarium. Checking out the fishies after playing various games and getting lots of candy.

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We visited the Baumgartner grandparents in early October. Chance snuggles with Grandmother, very briefly.

Grace goes out to help Mommy retrieve some things from the car, only to be distracted by playing with Chance's toy truck in the gorgeous weather.

A wheelchair ride with Grandad. See VIDEO too.

Grace wheelin' with Grandad. Chance walking in front and Daddy bringing up the rear with the "diaper bag" backpack.

Grace looking for those kitties outside of the apartments at the Lowman Home.